REVIEWS Orana 44

Shipyard FOUNTAINE PAJOT

Shipyard : FOUNTAINE PAJOT / Length : 13.1m

ORANA 44 catamaran: Fountaine-Pajot surfs the ocean cruising wave

At Fountaine Pajot, they have always liked this niche in the market – reasonably-sized catamarans which can both shine in acharter fleet, and at the same time appeal to owners looking for an ocean cruising boat…

ORANA 44: A flattering relationship…

In 1992, the La Rochelle-based builder brought out the Venezia 42 catamaran, 126 examples of which were sold, to the delight of catamaran charter companies looking for a boat which was easy to handle and maintain. These qualities were very quickly understood by a number of offshore sailors, and Venezias can still be found today in the four corners of the world. To replace this best-seller, the builder offered the Belize 43 catamaran in 2000, which could be distinguished from its predecessor by a more modern design, as well as the wish to offer clearly improved performance. Result: 174 examples were built…

By renewing its range of sailing catamarans, (Mahé 36 - Orana 44 - Salina 48 - Galathea 65), the builder’s intention was to update its boats by perfecting the general ergonomics, both in the accommodation and the deck plan. And this is what we found attractive during the test we carried out on the Orana 44 catamaran…

SILHOUETTE of the ORANA 44:

On seeing the Orana 44 catamaran for the first time, the thought that comes into your mind is that this catamaran is part of the ‘big boat’ family, and would be capable of taking you wherever you want to go… The lines are pleasant, and the proportions are perfectly suited to the image of a reassuring, ocean-going catamaran. The sugar scoops are wide and welcoming; the rigid bimini is well integrated into the overall lines and there is once again the famous cabin top, the builder’s indisputable signature. The straight bow and the freeboard height reinforce the impression of an imposing and robust catamaran, but without making it seem bulky. The only small thing wecould criticise is the side of the sugar scoop, which makes the overall silhouette slightly more cumbersome when viewed from astern.